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| Actor Jung Ho-keun has been a shaman since 2015. Capture from MBC |
By Dong Sun-hwa
The tragic deaths of two of his children made veteran actor Jung Ho-keun abandon his 30-year career and become a shaman.
Appearing on MBC program "Human Documentary ― Good People" on Tuesday, Jung disclosed he made the decision after his daughter and son died only 27 months and three days after birth, respectively.
"My grandmother was a shaman, so I heard that some family members used to suffer from 'Schamanen-krankheit,'" Jung said on the program.
"Schamanen-krankheit" is a so-called illness that cannot be treated unless the person becomes possessed and turns into a shaman. If he doesn't, it is known to damage them or people around.
Jung felt that his fate made him sick and brought misfortune to his family, as he had been refusing to follow his grandmother's path. To protect his family, he became a shaman in 2015.
"Life is a mystery after all," Jung said. "I have never expected that I would perceive spiritual energy."
Jung also revealed that he has been living apart from his wife and children for 16 years. They headed to the U.S. for the children's health and have been living there until now.
Family members were shocked at first when they heard news of Jung's career change, but now they support him.
"At first I blamed my father because of other people's eyes," his son said on the program. "But now my thoughts have changed. I think it is a wonderful job to help people move on with their lives."
